Eurobishop

Mosaic from Hagia Sophia in Istanbul The Conference of European Churches (CEC) has sent a message to His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Patriarch of Constantinople, following the deadly bombings at Istanbul's Ataturk airport which killed 41 people in injured hundreds more. On Tuesday night, as soon as news reached us of this latest terrorist attack, Archdeacon Colin Williams and I sent messages of solidarity and condolence to the clergy and people in our Istanbul parishes.  The General Secretary of CEC, Fr Heikki Huttunen speaking on behalf of European Christians said “The attack on Istanbul hurts all of us because it targets one of the cradles of European civilisation. Istanbul is a city at the crossroads of east and west, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It is the biggest city in Europe and it is one of the centres of global Christianity, although the Christians there live as a minority among a Muslim majority in a secular state. To target this bustling centre of historic a...

Many of our parishes regularly produce candidates for confirmation which for me is a sure sign that Christian life is flourishing in this diocese. All Saints Cologne with St Boniface Bonn is one two point parish which seems to have candidates to present each year, and all from a diverse background, reflecting the multicultural make-up of these congregations. On Sunday 19 June, 6 candidates were confirmed, who came originally from Northern Ireland, Gambia, Sri Lanka, Iran and Morocco. A moving moment in the liturgy happens around the font where the candidates renew their baptismal vows and sign themselves with the cross using baptismal water - to remind them that they are part of the Body of Christ.

The norms, canons, measures and customs of the Church of England can be mystifying to Anglicans from other Provinces. The mystery is further complicated in this particular C of E Diocese which covers 42 countries outside England, necessitating some unique practices and procedures. As a Diocese we welcome and indeed we are blessed with many clergy who come from Provinces other than the Church of England. Experience has shown that it is worthwhile gathering newly appointed clergy from other parts of the Communion to share some orientation material and to provide a forum for questions and answers pertaining to the norms of the C of E and the Diocese in Europe. On 20 and 21 June, six such priests joined the Diocesan Secretary Mr Adrian Mumford, the Archdeacon of Gibraltar, Geoff Johnston and myself for a 24 hour orientation session held at St Columba's House in Woking. The clergy are serving parishes in Versailles, Gothenburg, Fontainebleau, Freiburg, Marseilles and Berne. Wha...

House of Clergy Chair Fr Tuomas Mäkipää (l) with Fr John Perris and Ms Cynthia D'Alimonte the (US) Episcopal Church Reps.   The Diocesan Synod, the body that draws together elected representatives of clergy and lay people from across the Diocese, is composed of three “houses”. The House of Bishops consists of Bishop Robert and myself. Then there is the House of Clergy and the House of Laity. As this was the start of a triennium, the Houses of Clergy and Laity met during the recent Synod to elect their chairs, who then become vice-presidents of the Synod. The Revd Tuomas Mäkipää, the Chaplain of St Nicholas Helsinki and Assistant Area Dean for Finland, was elected chair of the House of Clergy. Mr David Coulston, a parishioner in St Andrew’s Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca was elected chair of the House of Laity. Both are also members of General Synod from our Diocese. Congratulations to them both. House of Laity Chair Mr David Coulston shares a joke with Area Dean of France ...

Like so many in the UK, Europe and across the world, I awoke today to the news of the outcome of the Referendum with deep sadness. As a Scot with background in Burma and Canada and who serves the Church of England as a bishop I have been immensely proud of my red EU passport and feel such regret that the UK electorate has voted the way it has. Our Diocese in Europe is part of the Church of England, but it is wholeheartedly a European Church. Our responsibility as a diaspora jurisdiction is to serve English-speaking and Anglican Christians from around the world who make our beloved European continent (plus Morocco and Turkey) their home. Our clergy will now take seriously their ministry to members of our churches, particularly to those UK passport holders who may now be filled with worry about their life on the continent, the future of health care, their pension provision, the right of residence, their freedom to work and study, and perhaps also anxious about the future of childre...

Dr Harry Hagopian at the Kardinal Schulte Haus, Cologne For the last couple of years, the refugee situation has been on the agenda of the Diocesan Synod. At this last Synod held in Cologne from 13 to 17 June, we continued our education and reflection but this time returning to the causes of the present crises. To lead our discussion we were privileged to hear from Dr Harry Hagopian who shared perspectives on the "shuddering political and demographic upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) over the past five years" which are producing the large numbers of refugees. Dr Hagopian is a lawyer who holds a doctorate in Public International Law and an LL.M in Alternative Dispute (Conflict) Resolution. He is the Middle East Advisor for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in England & Wales and works also with the Vatican, Lambeth Palace, Majlis El-Hassan and the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies in Jordan, Minority Rights Group International in England, as we...

The outcome of the referendum today, 23 June, will have consequences for the future of the UK of course, but also for the rest of Europe and indeed for the world. In choosing the path to the future I pray that UK voters will not forget what divisions in our Europe have brought upon us in the past, and that they will remember the values (which were Christian-inspired) that underpin the vision of the EU. I pray that the electorate will cast their votes bearing in mind what is right for the common good of all, in the off-shore islands of Britain and Ireland, on the continent and in the family of the world's nations. May the Patrons of Europe, St Benedict of Nursia. St Cyril, St Methodius, St Bridget of Sweden, St Catherine of Siena and St Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) stand alongside us and pray with us. I voted to remain.  

Part of the mandatory training of clergy in the Church of England happens after ordination. What was previously called "POT" - Post Ordination Training - is now termed "IME Phase II". In our diocese the Director of Ministerial Development, the Revd Canon Ulla Monberg, is responsible for this training. A recent residential session was completed just a couple of weeks ago during which time the new ordinands explored dimensions of Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican, Julian, Ignatian and Evangelical approaches to prayer and spirituality, both to sustain their own ministry as well as to equip them for their role as teachers of prayer in their congregations. The curates at this recent session came from churches in Turkey, Poland, Germany, Spain, France and Armenia. Four of the curates were finishing their IME Phase II and presented Canon Ulla with a card and present (which appears to be a "spiritual gift") to thank her for her guidance and care over the ...

On 5 June, Mrs Jenny Hoskins was admitted to the office of Reader and licensed for that ministry in the parish of St Christopher's Costa Azahar, Spain. The parish consists of 3 worship centres in Alcossebre, Vinaros and L'Ampolla, and also runs three "drop-in centres" which are key elements in the outreach mission of the Church. Members from all three congregations came together at the Fisherman's Church in Vinaros for this festive service, including one senior member, John, who does not get to church very often any more but who was determined to be present for the great day, as was Jenny's mother-in-law. The support from the members for Jenny was palpable - it is a long journey to be a Reader, normally 3 to 4 years of intensive study, and there was much joy when, after taking the usual oaths and declaration of assent and her vows of Reader ministry, I placed the blue preaching scarf around her neck and gave her a copy of the New Testament, the s...

  Bishop Dick Schoon, Co-Chairman, Fr Lars Simpson Co-Secretary One of our parishes in the Diocese in Europe recently hosted a meeting of the Anglican Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council (AOCICC). The Council met in Ghent from 7-11 June and St John's Church in that city gave us a warm welcome and provided logistical support through their priest, the Revd Stephen Murray, and the pastoral intern, Mr James Roberts. The Revd Stephen Murray offers local Ghent "treats" to AOCICC members James Roberts, intern at St John's The splendid St Elizabeth's Church, which is used by the Anglican parish of St John was the venue for the closing Eucharist of the Council meeting, at which Bishop Dick Schoon, the Bishop of Haarlem presided. Bishop Liederleitner Since we last met as a Council one of our members, Dr Heinz Lederleitner, has become a bishop. Bishop Lederleitner is the new Old Catholic Bishop of Austria. We took the opportunity to mark his election and consec...

Canon Kelham, Dean Paddock, Fr Ford On Wednesday 8 June a new canon joined the chapter of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar. The Revd Canon Adele Kelham, Chaplain of Christ Church, Lausanne, and soon to be the acting Archdeacon of Switzerland, was installed in the Stall of Our Lady of Europe during Solemn Choral Evensong. The service was sung by the Sub Dean, Fr Peter Ford OGS, Port Chaplain of Gibraltar, and the installation was done by the Dean of Gibraltar who brought personal greetings from the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter throughout Europe, with greetings from canons in the See Cathedral of Gibraltar, and the pro cathedrals of Malta and Brussels. The Dean and Canon Kelham were delighted to have in the congregation the Custodian of the Roman Catholic Shrine of Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar, representing the Roman Catholic Church. The Swiss Consul in Gibraltar also sent greetings and assurance of prayers. The service concluded with the solemn recitation of the Angelu...

Most lay leaders and clergy of the diocese know Catherine Jackson, our Appointments Secretary. Her official title sounds rather administrative and bureaucratic, but her ministry is very much one of service to our parishes, guiding congregations, parish reps, Churchwardens and treasurers through the complicated processes related to recruitment and appointment of clergy, She works closely with the relevant Archdeacon, Area Dean and Lead Bishop in giving essential support to congregations from the moment a vacancy is declared, guiding them through the complex matter of discernment, and also offering guidance to enquiring priests about particular posts and assisting with their own sense of calling and search. As you can imagine, balancing so many interests, keeping things proceeding smoothly and consulting daily with relevant staff and volunteers on safeguarding protocols, finance, health/visa/employment issues, advertising deadlines, as well as arranging and participating in any disc...

Sunday was a memorable day in the life of the Anglican Church in Finland. Five children from two Sudanese refugee families were baptized in St Nicholas's regular Sunday Eucharist in Espoo. This small community gathers every other Sunday for Eucharist in a small room in Tapiola (Lutheran) church. The Espoo congregation is quite used to songs in Swahili but on Sunday the room was filled with songs in Arabic as the Revd Amos Manga (priest-in-charge of the White Nile congregations in Finland) presented five children for baptism. Muntase, Mawahib and Manar arrived in Finland last winter. Muntaser (2000) and Mawahib (2001) were born in Khartoum before the family had to flee to a refugee camp in Cairo. Manar was born in the camp in 2006. Ten years later they have now arrived in Finland and have received pastoral support from Fr Amos. Other candidates were Yasine, who was born in Khartoum in 2001, and her sister Fairuz , who was born in Cairo in 2006. Fr Amos Manga The Revd Tuom...

In Athens, with the help of the pharmacist Maria Karayianni, a thousand tubes of toothpaste  have been obtained to add to the equivalent male hygiene packs provided by the USA Christian NGO Samaritan Purse. The packs will be delivered to a Detention Centre for refugees/migrants.This initiative arose from a conversation between the Police Officer directly responsible for those incarcerated in the Detention Centre and our Chaplain in Athens, Canon Malcolm Bradshaw. The Officer asked whether we had access to such packs. Over the past four months the Athens' Chaplaincy has been providing a cooked meal each week at the Detention Centre. It has also provided footballs,basketballs and ping pong balls to use in the recreation yard. The Chaplaincy is grateful to all who have sent donations enabling it to do this work. Apparently the Officer was near to tears when he heard that such a provision could be made. The men in the Detention Centre were described by the Officer as 'being ...